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Sonic the Hedgehog Community |OT2 Battle|

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BHZ Mayor

Member
This generation pretty much marked the death of my favorite genre, 3D platformers, yet also gave me two of the best ones of all time, the Mario Galaxies.

Also, since this is the Sonic thread in which we barely talk about Sonic, it's also funny how this generation produced both the worst and possibly best 3D Sonic games.
 
Speaking of Sonic, which Sonic game has the best starting zone? I'm gonna have to go with Mushroom Hill, it looks really great, they really made a great use of the zone itself with the various functions of the fungi and it has some really good music as well. A close second would be Angel Island...at least until it burns up, I was really hoping to play for longer in the jungle setting, it was really cool and appealing to the eyes.
 

Spinluck

Member
Spent like 3hrs messing around with Art Academy: Sketch Pad on the Wii U.

I freaking love it, can't wait till they release the full thing. I was drawing a cat before I had to go, I'll post the full thing on Miiverse when done.
 

qq more

Member
Speaking of Sonic, which Sonic game has the best starting zone? I'm gonna have to go with Mushroom Hill, it looks really great, they really made a great use of the zone itself with the various functions of the fungi and it has some really good music as well. A close second would be Angel Island...at least until it burns up, I was really hoping to play for longer in the jungle setting, it was really cool and appealing to the eyes.

Hmm.. I might actually go with Mushroom Hill too. I especially loved that the season changes in the middle of Act 2.
 
Mushroom Hill is the best, but I don't count it because I'm not one of you Sonic 3 and Sonic and Knuckles are separate games heathens, they're one big glorious platforming masterpiece.

So going by those rules...(≖‿≖ ) (ღ˘‿˘ღ) (✿ ♥‿♥) Angel Island Zone ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (-"‿"-) ( ≖‿≖)
 
Speaking of Sonic, which Sonic game has the best starting zone? I'm gonna have to go with Mushroom Hill, it looks really great, they really made a great use of the zone itself with the various functions of the fungi and it has some really good music as well. A close second would be Angel Island...at least until it burns up, I was really hoping to play for longer in the jungle setting, it was really cool and appealing to the eyes.
I want to say Tropical Resort for bringing a truly unique experience to the table, that being the feeling that the 3D Sonic game you just started might actually be damn good this time.

Spent like 3hrs messing around with Art Academy: Sketch Pad on the Wii U.

I freaking love it, can't wait till they release the full thing. I was drawing a cat before I had to go, I'll post the full thing on Miiverse when done.
I'm considering this myself, I might buy it, get inevitably frustrated with my ability and then abandon it.
 

Dark Schala

Eloquent Princess
Mmm! My participation in the Time Travelers thread made me remember that we have a Soundtrack of the Year thread at the end of the year! Did anyone feel like they've played games this year or heard soundtracks this year that appealed to them very much?

I mean, Metal Gear Rising's a strong contender for me, but now I have to remember what else I've listened to this year.

Speaking of Sonic, which Sonic game has the best starting zone? I'm gonna have to go with Mushroom Hill, it looks really great, they really made a great use of the zone itself with the various functions of the fungi and it has some really good music as well. A close second would be Angel Island...at least until it burns up, I was really hoping to play for longer in the jungle setting, it was really cool and appealing to the eyes.
You actually answered your question for me. I'd pick Angel Island or Mushroom Hill... or even Windmill Isle, myself. Angel Island is an interesting twist on the Hill level trope, though I do like the second act a lot.

Even Tropical Resort was a nice welcome for the sake of showing the player that you're not starting with a cutscene and it's like a return to older Sonic openings with thrusting the player into the level. Nocturnowl's right on the money for this one.

Green Hill also tells the player everything Sonic does from a momentum standpoint. The hills facilitate his rolling and building momentum. The loops allow him to go faster. There are springs for him to climb higher terrain, etc. Functionally, it's a good level, but it's not as memorable to me as Mushroom Hill/Angel Island/Windmill Isle.

Also, since this is the Sonic thread in which we barely talk about Sonic, it's also funny how this generation produced both the worst and possibly best 3D Sonic games.
I was going to mention that in my post but elected not to, lol. But yeah, we hit the lowest of the lows for Sonic, and a resurrection for the series culminating with Sonic Generations. That's interesting.
 
Speaking of Sonic, which Sonic game has the best starting zone? I'm gonna have to go with Mushroom Hill, it looks really great, they really made a great use of the zone itself with the various functions of the fungi and it has some really good music as well. A close second would be Angel Island...at least until it burns up, I was really hoping to play for longer in the jungle setting, it was really cool and appealing to the eyes.

City Escape for its spectacle and overall first impression, Angel Island for its twists (Super Sonic? NOPE. Peaceful tropical stage theme? NOPE. ), and Tropical Resort for its quality in combination with how unassuming it is.

Tropical Resort is an refreshing case of a game selling itself to the player with pure gameplay, devoid of context. What a confident move. Sonic Colors was good.

Mmm! My participation in the Time Travelers thread made me remember that we have a Soundtrack of the Year thread at the end of the year! Did anyone feel like they've played games this year or heard soundtracks this year that appealed to them very much?

I mean, Metal Gear Rising's a strong contender for me, but now I have to remember what else I've listened to this year.

Killer Instinct is making a case for me. It's so...ferocious.
 

qq more

Member
Oh yeah, City Escape is pretty much up there for best 1st levels. Also possibly the best 3D Sonic level ever (that is until Generations and by that I mean City Escape again! :D)
 

Sciz

Member
To wrap up my series of Mario musings, Super Mario World:

SMW is remarkable in part for what it lacks. NSMB DS was built on top of SM64 DS and happily used holdovers from that, and every game since has done nothing but add, add, add. Very little is ever cut, and what already works is never altered. SMW, being built on top of SMB3, cut damn near everything. A few elements survived, some that were already series staples and some that World cemented as such. Select few ideas got through without a mechanics update, and you can count on one hand the ones that merely got reshaded 8-bit sprites instead of at least being redrawn. It's a wildly inventive game, coming directly on the heels of a much different wildly inventive game. And while SMB3 has been pumped nearly dry by the NSMBs, World's still hanging onto a couple dozen ideas that no other game has ever touched, and that number gets much larger if you include the ones that've only ever recurred once in Yoshi's Story, Super Princess Peach, or Advance 4's e-reader content. More than any other entry in the series, it remains distinct.

I'd also say that it represents the series' best mechanics. There's much that can and has been said about the physics; it isn't quite accurate to say that there's no momentum, just that the player doesn't have to care about it. No other Mario can turn on a dime and curve through the air like World's, and the underwater controls are heavenly even before you get into the interesting interactions with held items. Held items themselves have never been better; being able to kick upwards is a gamechanger, there are some interesting puzzles revolving around moving P-switches, and being able to hang onto Koopa shells without them being ticking bombs makes them much more viable to drag around. Popping them out of their shells in the first place is a great dynamic, and the differences between the four colors makes it all the more interesting. And that's before you get into their interaction with Yoshi, which was a lot of the fun of having him around in the first place. And completely independent of the platforming is the overworld, which Nintendo still can't duplicate worth a damn 22 years later.

You'll never see a game over, but it can get legitimately tricky at times, too. SMB3 is the slower paced game of the two (though it's still faster than any NSMB title), and even the Japanese version that drops you to small Mario on hit just never gets hard thanks to how easy it is to just not get hit in the first place. SMW plays faster to begin with and throws more enemies and hazards at you in less predictable ways.

It's still the series' finest moment. It's the perfect sequel, the game that captures the exact same sense of newness while being fundamentally the same, just deeper. It's the S3&K to SMB3's Sonic 2. And they'll never make anything like it again.
 
I'm left wondering what big ideas SMW has that supposedly haven't been "mined" by the NSMB series. A lot of the various mechanics or hazards that were new to SMW have been reused just as much as SMB3, Block snakes, crushing columns, buzzsaws, wire fences, secret exits, switch palace, ghost houses, Yoshi and even things like the wall running block inspired the NSMBU mini mushroom.
Not a knock on World here, just not sure I get what you're driving at.

Mmm! My participation in the Time Travelers thread made me remember that we have a Soundtrack of the Year thread at the end of the year! Did anyone feel like they've played games this year or heard soundtracks this year that appealed to them very much?

I mean, Metal Gear Rising's a strong contender for me, but now I have to remember what else I've listened to this year.
This year has been kind of bare for me on this point. There's one or two tracks within a soundtrack that I like a lot but then I find that the rest of the soundtrack as a whole doesn't quite reach the same level.
As for examples i'm thinking Don't Speak Her Name (Fire Emblem: Awakening), It Has To Be This Way (Metal Gear Rising) and Victory in the Dream World (M&L Dream Team).
Yeah in the cases of all three of the above games soundtracks I think they're good but not quite great (gets mauled by a good half of Sonic Gaf yelling something about the rules of nature).

Still we're far from done yet, Rayman will be out over here in about 2 weeks and the demo has assured me that there will be great music within. Sonic will no doubt deliver something noteworthy and there's the return of some "Wiseguy" as well.
 

Noi

Member
Rising's the only one that strongly comes to mind. I could also maybe mention Project x Zone, but the cut tracks in the localized version hurt it a loooooot (unfitting tracks playing at unfitting times). What little I've heard of Dragon's Crown's also seems worth mentioning.

Edit: OH, Guacamelee's soundtrack is great too! It's easy to forget the smaller games!
 
Rising's the only one that strongly comes to mind. I could also maybe mention Project x Zone, but the cut tracks in the localized version hurt it a loooooot (unfitting tracks playing at unfitting times). What little I've heard of Dragon's Crown's also seems worth mentioning.

Edit: OH, Guacamelee's soundtrack is great too! It's easy to forget the smaller games!

They cut music out of the localization? Why?
 
Dat GTAV Online trailer tho

gta5_mp2_by_darkspectre99-d6i8fg8.gif


Now I can live out my Wave Race fantasies (ღ˘‿˘ღ)
 
Not really surprised by the omission of vocal tracks, but the instrumental tracks getting cut seems strange too. Then again, I am also reminded of something similar happening with Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, as well.
 

Tizoc

Member
The Yakuza 1+2 HD Wii U sales thread is hilarious.
Makes me wonder what the reaction would be had it sold well.
 

Anth0ny

Member
i remember when i was jizzing over gta iv trailers

then the game came out and it sucked shit

so i have low expectations for gta v at this point, nothing has really impressed me so far. hopefully we get a pc/next gen version soon enough, at the very least it looks amazing, but that won't be apparent on ps360.
 
I don't understand what the point of that experiment was. Releasing games in one region on one console that nobody has..."welp sold like ass, cancel all localization prospects!"
 

Noi

Member
I don't understand what the point of that experiment was. Releasing games in one region on one console that nobody has..."welp sold like ass, cancel all localization prospects!"

To be fair, yakuza is big in Japan.

I mean, there's low sales expectations (like most 3DS RPGs in the west), and then there's selling less than 1.8k units on your first week. The former could be taken as a step to creating an audience on the platform, the latter means there is virtually 0 interest in them.
 

Tizoc

Member
To be fair, yakuza is big in Japan.

I mean, there's low sales expectations (like most 3DS RPGs in the west), and then there's selling less than 1.8k units on your first week. The former could be taken as a step to creating an audience on the platform, the latter means there is virtually 0 interest in them.

I was kinda hoping the former would happen with releasing Yakuza 1 and 2 HD in Japan but...alas.
GIMME THE YAKUZA GAMES ON STEAM NAGOSHI! I WILL BUY AND GIFT THEM AT THE SAME TIME!
 

GAMERG0D

Member
i remember when i was jizzing over gta iv trailers

then the game came out and it sucked shit

so i have low expectations for gta v at this point, nothing has really impressed me so far. hopefully we get a pc/next gen version soon enough, at the very least it looks amazing, but that won't be apparent on ps360.
Wat. GTA V is improving on everything GTA IV did wrong and right.
 
I was watching the latest Jimquisition on a whim, and, uh...

I thought Saints Row 4 was a GTA game, right? Like the first three? So, uh, why was almost all the footage more evoking of Mass Effect? That's quite a departure.
 

Noi

Member
The first Saints was more like a GTA clone. 2 decided to take a more wacky route to differentiate itself, and it's been getting better ever since. They're still sandbox type games, but they couldn't be more different from GTA in terms of what you actually do in them.
 
Oh, ehm, watching Lowtax's "Mind Over Murder" video spoiled one of the plot twists for me, and, ehm, I don't think I'm so interested anymore.

I don't really feel comfortable talking about which one, though.
 

Sciz

Member
I'm left wondering what big ideas SMW has that supposedly haven't been "mined" by the NSMB series. A lot of the various mechanics or hazards that were new to SMW have been reused just as much as SMB3, Block snakes, crushing columns, buzzsaws, wire fences, secret exits, switch palace, ghost houses, Yoshi and even things like the wall running block inspired the NSMBU mini mushroom.
Not a knock on World here, just not sure I get what you're driving at.

It's a mix of things, some major, some minor, some that are just variations on otherwise common features. There's plenty that has been nicked, but it's managed to keep more to itself.

Green star bonus block
Coin snakes
Rotating blocks
Vertical throw
Silver P-switch
P-balloon
Freestanding and freefalling powerups
Dolphins
Yoshi wings in blocks
Colored Yoshi powers
Colored Koopa-Yoshi interactions
Blue and Yellow Koopas
Green Bubble
Fishin' Lakitu
Pipe Lakitu
Dino Rhino/Dino-Torch
Ghost Ship Boo Swarm
Boo Snake
Eerie
Gold Bowser Statue
Chainsaws
Bound Fire
Mega Mole

And again, there's a lot that falls under the "only recycled once" category, including some signature content like the cape and Chargin' Chuck. A similar list for SMB3 comes up with
Frog Suit (in part), Hammer Suit, and Kuribo's Shoe for powerups, and Hot Foot, Buster Beetle, Angry Sun, Jelectro, and Stretch for enemies
.


edit: Also, lest I forget, World is one of Koji Kondo's finest moments.
 

Dark Schala

Eloquent Princess
Well, because someone forced my hand, and because I just came home to a message from someone who didn't hold up his end of the bargain...

...I need to mentally prepare myself for a Time & Eternity speedrun. I won't stream it. I'll stream the True Ending when I get there, but aw man, I was having fun playing games I actually enjoyed for once.

(Way to go, Bean. Everyone knows to blame you now. You owe me something good afterwards.)

This year has been kind of bare for me on this point. There's one or two tracks within a soundtrack that I like a lot but then I find that the rest of the soundtrack as a whole doesn't quite reach the same level.
As for examples i'm thinking Don't Speak Her Name (Fire Emblem: Awakening), It Has To Be This Way (Metal Gear Rising) and Victory in the Dream World (M&L Dream Team).
Yeah in the cases of all three of the above games soundtracks I think they're good but not quite great (gets mauled by a good half of Sonic Gaf yelling something about the rules of nature).

Still we're far from done yet, Rayman will be out over here in about 2 weeks and the demo has assured me that there will be great music within. Sonic will no doubt deliver something noteworthy and there's the return of some "Wiseguy" as well.
Actually, I kind of feel the same way. But that's partially because I didn't have the time to explore Bandcamp offerings much yet! With that said, I'm kind of pleased with the soundtracks this year over than last year's offerings. I know that we have the rest of the year to rate up soundtracks, so I certainly don't mind holding off on anything!
 
the true ending is where I open the game case, do a poop inside it, close the case (I'll have gloves on, don't worry), throw it into a river, set the river on fire "Dungeons and Dragons: The Movie" style, and then launch a guided missile into the Imageepoch buildings
 

Dark Schala

Eloquent Princess
This BeanxSchala shipping just keeps heating up, bet Schala's not-BF/associate/sex buddy is more jealous than ever
Pfffffffffft.

I'm sorry.

I suppose the true ending is one where
neither girl has to "die"
, then?
Ye-

the true ending is where I open the game case, do a poop inside it, close the case (I'll have gloves on, don't worry), throw it into a river, set the river on fire "Dungeons and Dragons: The Movie" style, and then launch a guided missile into the Imageepoch buildings
Actually, yes, this is more accurate. You'll see Coldman do this on stream. Live.
 

Tizoc

Member
I was watching the latest Jimquisition on a whim, and, uh...

I thought Saints Row 4 was a GTA game, right? Like the first three? So, uh, why was almost all the footage more evoking of Mass Effect? That's quite a departure.

tumblr_mqpyllimNs1qf5do9o1_500.gif

i6cFUNhtBc5yP.gif

i3QQdnTaKesKv.gif

ibag9RMlGyrOTw.gif


These GIFs got more sold onto the game then ever before.
 
It's a mix of things, some major, some minor, some that are just variations on otherwise common features. There's plenty that has been nicked, but it's managed to keep more to itself.

*list*

And again, there's a lot that falls under the "only recycled once" category, including some signature content like the cape and Chargin' Chuck. A similar list for SMB3 comes up with
Frog Suit (in part), Hammer Suit, and Kuribo's Shoe for powerups, and Hot Foot, Buster Beetle, Angry Sun, Jelectro, and Stretch for enemies
.

I'm going to give Fishing Lakitu a special mention because Lakitu stages in the NSMB games are my most disliked stages in those games since they can't seem to think of anything interesting to do with him. Fishing Lakitu is a neat twist on the enemy, immediately dangling a 1up in your face and I have to imagine most of us just jumped on that the first time around, then you learn that your greed has come at the price of getting the spiny treatment for the rest of the stage which in turn leads to another way to play the stage which is to avoid collision with the 1up entirely. Yeah it's not exactly an amazing idea but after you've played like 10 more stages that all involved bland SMB1 style Lakitu stage that "hides" star coins or a pipe up in the sky requiring his cloud for the umpteenth time you get greater appreciation for stuff like fishing Lakitu.
At least NSLU had that one stage where it was cloud theft or pit death.

Though I guess you'd likely disagree I wish Nintendo had revisited SMW with a direct sequel (Yoshi's Island don't count!), balls to innovation on this one, i'd just like to see them make another batch of stages with the SMW mechanics with less focus on the secret stuff, plus Dino Rhino didn't appear nearly enough.

Actually, I kind of feel the same way. But that's partially because I didn't have the time to explore Bandcamp offerings much yet! With that said, I'm kind of pleased with the soundtracks this year over than last year's offerings. I know that we have the rest of the year to rate up soundtracks, so I certainly don't mind holding off on anything!

I'm sure when you go back through your next Time and Eternity run (why?!) you'll come to understand the true hilarity of the comedy theme, then you'll be all set for SotY.

No I will not blame this Bean fellow for this, i'll blame you and you should blame yourself as well when in the depths of despair you find that you yourself have become a palette swap in the guise of a more miserable version of yourself.
 

Noi

Member
I was looking at gameplay for the first Saints Row a moment ago and happened upon this in the comments.

Real talk saints was orignally a game of gangs nd shit these mothafuckas took a ride downhill and fuked with it too mutch i remember normal guns and all the sick stuff storyline not this goofy bulllshit nowandays

Yes, how dare they try to make their series different from every GTA clone at the time.
 
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